The Erlking
by HereForThemFanfics
Summary: Based on the poem by Goethe. Athena fatally wounded her best friend Pallas, but what if Pallas held on for a little longer, and Athena tried to save her? A one-shot featuring Athena, Pallas (because she doesn't get enough love), with cameos (albeit plot relevant ones) by Poseidon and Artemis. Also Percy shows up! And...I guess hallucination!Pan too?


Based on the poem Erlkönig by Goethe. This plot bunny came out of nowhere, but I'm feeling inspired. Also, parallelism! The poem had music put to it by a lot of people, most notably by Schubert. Feel free to Google it. Or better yet, the violin version of it.

This fanfic involves Pallas and a young Athena.

Without further ado, my first fanfic!

* * *

_Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop... _

In all her life, Athena had never been so grateful to her uncle, Poseidon. Now, as she rode through the forest on horseback, her best friend Pallas in front of her, she willed the horse to hurry.

_Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop... _

Apollo...the very thought of him filled her up with rage and frustration. She had gone to him first. Surely he'd understand, she thought. Surely he'll help. Instead, he had turned away from her, an ugly expression on his perfect face.

_"You didn't care at all when it happened to me.* You mocked me," he almost snarled. "Who's laughing now?"_

She had tried to reason with him, bribed him, even apologized. If it weren't for her pride, she would have begged. Instead, she had walked stonily out of his palace on Olympus.

Gods are petty creatures, she decided that day.

_Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop... _

Athena snapped out of her musings as Pallas buried her face in her shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Pallas?" Somehow, her voice was still calm.

"Athena, can't you see Pan over there?" She was gazing at something behind her.

"Pan?" What would he be doing here? Perhaps he could help! He's a nature god, after all, and Pallas is a nymph.

She risked a glance back. Nothing. "Pallas, there's only mist in there."

"He wants to play with me.. " Pallas watched, transfixed, as Pan started to talk about the sparring games she enjoyed so much with the other nymphs, the beautiful flowers her mortal friends are so fond of, and the weapons she'd be able to train with, if she'd just come with him.

"Just hold on," Athena gritted her teeth.

Because there is one other option. One she could only hope that she could get to in time. Unfortunately, Artemis had been with her Hunters, in a secluded area that Athena could not simply transport herself into. Artemis valued her privacy, and while Athena understood that, related to that, even, she couldn't help but curse (mentally; out loud is undignified, and for a young goddess, especially one born in her circumstances**, appearances are everything). She'd never make it to her sister in time. Even if she teleported as close to Artemis as possible, and sprinted at top speed, 100 leagues would take too long on foot.

Nonetheless, she had to try.

_Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop... _

"Athena! Didn't you hear what Pan promised me?"

Athena tried to keep her emotions in check. _I'm losing her._ Panicking would not help now. "There's no Pan; it's just the leaves rustling."

By some cruel trick of the Fates, it had been her least favorite uncle who had come to her rescue. As she stood at the foot of the steps, trying to get her emotions in check, Poseidon had walked by with one of his newest creations.

"What do you think, Athena? This beauty can travel twice as fast as a mortal could sprint. She can even outpace a god! Where's your olive tree now, Athena?"

Eventually, he had noticed that she simply wasn't listening. Upon closer inspection, she did seem quite upset, and who is she carrying in her arms?

"Athena," Poseidon sighed, "You are being entirely too quiet. I thought you'd be nicer if you shut up, but this is just disturbing. What is going on?"

Athena didn't answer immediately. "Pallas," she finally seemed to snap out of her trance. "I'm taking her to Artemis. It's none of your business."

She was getting ready to leave when Poseidon called, "Wait."

She whirled, a thousand insults at her tongue, a thousand more curses ready to fire if he dared to laugh at her. Her gray eyes flashed in warning. The message was clear: _Don't waste my time._

Poseidon put up his hands, "Look, I know we're not on good terms..."

The glare intensified.

"...but the girl is in critical condition. You are taking her to Artemis to heal her, correct?" He didn't wait for her answer. "You'll never make it in time. Take my steed; it's faster."

The glare softened to a suspicious frown. "And what is in it for you?"

He shrugged, but his sea-green eyes looked sad all of a sudden. "Perhaps, I'm in a good mood and was feeling generous. Perhaps I'm simply tired of seeing mortals die because of our mistakes. Consider it repayment for your blessing on my son Theseus***. I will be holding this over your head for the next century or so."

"...Thank you," she said grudgingly.

_Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop, Clop-clop-clop... _

"Come with me, child," Pan's voice (was it really Pan? Athena couldn't see him, and she's a goddess...) was so alluring. "My vast kingdom will serve you. The animals and my attendants will sing you to sleep every night."

"Athena, can't you see Pan's servants?" Pallas thought she asked.

"...Yes," Pallas looked at her in surprise. "Those are just Willow trees, Pallas. No one is here."

"I love you, your beautiful form entices me; And if you're not willing, then I will use force," "Pan" started chasing after the horse, going impossibly fast for a satyr, even for a god.

"Athena, he's grabbing me! I don't want to go!"

Cold fear gripped Athena's heart. She's almost there, almost there, almost there..._she has to make it, she has to make it...!_

Athena burst into the clearing, surprising the group of Hunters who had heard the commotion, and had stood with their bows ready.

"G-get Artemis," she managed to gasp.

The girl in the lead (what was her name, Callisto?) snapped out of her shock, "At once, my lady!"

"Callisto?" Artemis's voice was heard, and Athena almost melted with relief.

"Athena!" Artemis's eyes scanned the scene: Athena's clothes, stained and slightly disheveled from the forest, the lifeless figure on the horse, spear still poking out of her abdomen (Athena didn't have much enterprise in the healing arts, but she did know that taking the spear out makes the person bleed out faster), and seemed to guess what Athena wanted her to do.

"It doesn't matter, just heal her!" She wanted to yell.

Artemis looked at her sadly, "Athena, I'm so sorry, but she's already dead."

Athena almost lost it. She wanted to scream at Artemis for lying, for hiding herself away so that it takes so long to find her, for acting so sympathetic. It was Athena's spear, even though it was Zeus's interference that caused this. She had murdered her best friend.

But Athena is a young goddess, appearances are everything, and she had an audience. The mourning would come later.

"Are you sure?" she asked instead, even though she knew the answer already. Artemis is the protector of girls and women, after all. There was no way she wasn't sure.

Artemis nodded, "You have my sincerest condolences."

Athena nodded, her movements felt mechanical. "I must take her body back, then. Give her a proper burial."

Artemis walked towards her, "I will see you off."

Thousands of years later…

"Palace Athena?" Perseus Jackson tried not to laugh, "Did you have a hotel in Las Vegas?"

Cold rage rose inside her as she stared at the son of Poseidon. His smile slowly disappeared, his slow witted mind finally processing that perhaps his joke was not made in good taste. She was considering taking a page out of Artemis's playbook and turning him into a jackalope, her daughter's boyfriend be damned, when she finally met his eyes. Sea green, just like his father's.

_Perhaps I'm simply tired of seeing mortals die because of our mistakes._

"Leave," she told him. He scampered out as fast as possible.

*Apollo's lover, Hyacinth. Remember the discus incident? What with Athena being a maiden goddess and all, I thought she might not be sympathetic to the whole thing.

**Bursting out of her Dad's head in full battle armor.

***I know I said that Athena was young, so all that stuff that happened with Poseidon happened later, but I couldn't resist.


End file.
